I was approached to purchase a female dogue de bordeaux from Mike Perette in late June. This dog was purchased by him from a breeder over seas. He paid $2500.00 for this female which including her shipping, he recieved her in December. Apparently, Mike had decided he did not want to breed Dogue de Bordeaux's but Cane Corsos instead. Mike is a friend of a very close friend of mine.
I met up at our friends house on around July 1 to meet "Zoe." At this time Mike talked Zoe up about her pedigree (which is a great) and her good health, stating her hips had been checked by his vet and everything looked great. At this time I also questioned him about Zoe's hernia and he stated that his vet had said it wasn't a big deal.
Mike was well aware of my desire to get into dog breeding and he preyed on that fact. I was 7 months pregnant at the time and I told him I had not planned to jump into dog breeding so soon. I asked him what he wanted and he said he needed $2000 for her asap because he was purchasing a Cane Corso from a breeder, but he would want something later on when she had puppies. I told him that that was fine, but is something were to happen to her or she was diagnosed with something that made he unbreedable I was not responsible to pay him any more money. He verbally agreed to this. I took Zoe home with me that day.
After I paid $2000.00 for Zoe, I was approached about another female dogue de bordeaux he wanted to sell me. The dog had went to live with his fiances family, but unfortunately it did not work out. He wanted to sell her to me for another $4500.00. I told him this was not possible for many reason, I had three dogs now at home, a new baby on the way, and unstable income. He told me over and over I could have as much time as I liked to pay for her, she's so worth it, etc. Etc. I told him about a cousin of mine that loved Zoe and always wanted a top of the line dogue de bordeaux. I connected my cousin and he was willing to split the cost of the dog with me and we would go into a co-ownership of 50/50.
The $4500 was paid to Mike in full by December 1. To date I had give him $6500.00. I never had "as much time as I would like" to pay for these dogs. I was consistantly hounded by emails and phonecalls about when I would have the money. I was informed in the fall that he wanted $2500 more for Zoe for the "breeding rights" to her asap and he didn't want to wait until she had a litter because he had to pay someone money. I said I would agree to that but our contract would state if she was diagnosed with anything he was refund me that money.
Around the 11th of December, Mike Perette signed a contract stated that I would be refunded the money in this event. The contract we signed regarding the second dog, did not have this written, after my cousin had the dog he said he would not be willing to do the same for the other dog, I had no choice but to honor this because this dog was now living with my cousin and I couldn't just say I needed to give the dog back.
In the beginning of January I had Zoe's hips checked thorugh a procedure called a PennHip, the vet called me with the bad news stating her hips were terrible and she would score very low. I called Mike with this information, he proceded to tell me this was impossible and asked why I would pay to have this procedure done (even though it was a requirement to use a stud dog from a breeder he had referred me too). He said he checked her hips and everything was fine. I called his vet and he said Zoe was only brought in for a routine "puppy exam" and he never would have given insight on what the dog would be, he also told me that Zoe's hernia would need to be repaired even if she weren't to be breed but especially if you were. He also stated that poor hips and a hernia alone would classify her as unbreedable. When I contacted Mike with this information, he claimed his vet was saying this because he did not want the average dog owner breeding their pets. I took this information with a grain of salt. A week later I recieved the scores for Zoe's hips, she scored in the less then 10%, but was free from dejenerative joint disease. He said to me this was good news and she passed! There are NO passing and failing scores for PennHips BUT it clearly states on the report: As a minimum breeding criterion, we propose that breeding stock be selected from the population fo animals having hips in the tighter half of the breed. Zoe was at the bottom of the barrel. He told me to contact the breeder about still be able to use her stud dog, I was not able to get a hold of her. He was able to get a hold of her and she said she would be willing to breed my bitch to a stud with very tight hips, but she would not be resposible for the outcome of the puppies, he informed her I would be selling them only as pets without a warranty. Originally I was told I would be able to sell show quality for $ but thats besides the point. She also said I would never her hernia repaired and a heart test done. He had given me a choice to not breed her before he got a hold of the breeder. Once he spoke to the breeder, he said since she would be willing to breed I would have to continue. He also made statements about breeders he knows breeding dogs with obvious hip displasia, he stated to me he was bringing he girls no matter what. Just breed up he said repeatedly.
I continued to listen to this man who had claimed he would "help" me through this process and be there for any guidance I needed or questions I had. On Wednesday, March 11, during a heart ultrasound done by a cardiologist heard a very low heart murmor. I was called by the vet to let me be aware of this, she said the cardiologist would have to do an ecocardiogram running an additional $300 to find out what was causing this murmor. I told her I would call her back. I called Mike and informed him of the situation, I told him I did not want to do the test because she had bad hips and now this. He told me I had no choice, I asked him if he would be willing to pay for it to be done. He told me no and that in fact is fiance would be going to the bank that afternoon to cash the last check he had from me in the amount of $250.00 because he needed it for a show that weekend, he said I had to have it done if thats what the breeder asked. I called back the vet and told her the procedure could be done. I was called an hour later that Zoe had mild sub-aortic stenosis, Zoe could not recieve heart clearance but my vet informed me to check with my breeder about what was done about this in this particular breed, because if fact she may still be bred.
I immediately went to the bank and stopped payment of the last check in the amount of $250.00. I called Mike and told him the outcome, he began to demand for the vets phone number, told me how could this murmor not been found earlier. I told him that it was so low it could only be hear with a the stethoscope used by cardiologists. I informed him I didnt know serious it was and when we spoke to the breeder of the stud dog we would now.
I did not make contact with Mike Perette over the phone after that for documentation purposes. Over the course of the evening I became very mad and angered by the whole situation, not to mention upset about the fact I have this dog now that maybe I can not afford to keep. I emailed Mike stating that even if she was breedable still, but in my heart I didnt think she was, I still wanted to be refund half of the breeder aspect I paid him in the amount of $1125.00 and I would find a healthy local stud that did not have that strict of health requirements, I said this but did say I thought this wrong and did not want to do this. He emailed me back stated no breeder guarantees the healthy of their puppies or that they were breeding quality or pays for vet bills. NONE of these statements are relevant to the agreement we had which eachother.
The next day I was able to speak with the breeder of the stud dog. She said she would absolutely not breed to my dog and that I need to have her spayed. I let Mike know this and he said he would now agree to the original offer of $1125.00, that offer was made if she was bred, which it was now confirmed that understand no circumstances would I be willing to breed this dog. He then informed me that all deals were off and he would not be paying me the $2500.00 that he agreed to. He told me to take him to court. He made contact with the original breeder of the dog in europe (I did as well) she said she would replace the dog with a puppy but I would need to send so BACK TO HER! I love my dog and I dont think I could ever part with her even if if she just wanted her back as a pet, but I believe she would be used for breeding overseas. Mike told me this is what she do and any other breeder would do this. I am a young women with 2 kids (that love Zoe), my other two dogs at home are neutured pets and I think of Zoe as a pet, hence why I told Mike from the start I would pay him $2000.00 to be a pet.
In conclusion, I have now been faced to take legal action on this matter. He as threatened to make sure no breeder will ever do business with me and the only dogs I will be able to breed with are those in a pound. He tried to push his breeding practices on me, he states in one email "you have been a headache from day one." I believe he made this statement because I came to him with the problems these dogs had. He so badly wanted me to not care and just breed her so he could keep his money. Unfortunately for him, I did not want to be in breeding for the money.
This man is not honest and does not stand by his word.
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